Life, photos but not the universe

It’s always a bit of a gamble taking a new person on the boat (a week in confined space, far from civilisation) but we felt we were on a safe bet with Z and so it turned out.

To be fair she didn’t exactly leap tall buildings but she did lift enormous bridges and travel across extremely high places without turning many hairs. Not to mention steering a large narrow-boat through very small looking locks and bridges and working hundreds of locks. It’s amazing how much less narrow a narrowboat can look when you’re approaching a ridiculously narrow looking bridge. Even if you know (because Barney said so) that the bridge is wider than the boat and especially if you are a smallish person and can’t see the front of the boat.

We had weather of all kinds, ranging from icy winds and rain to bright sun. Lots of wind. We ate lots of really nice meals both on board and on land. We drank a lot of wine and a phenomenal amount of tea. We saw a Kestrel hunting not much more than thirty feet away, almost at eye level because it was hovering above a field which was way below the level of the canal, and I saw a gull dive bombing a heron – I’ve never sen a heron perform such aeronautical feats before. Oh and we saw a hotel boat pulling a butty (no engine) through Willeymore Lock. Very very clever and smoothly done. Z has described it on her blog.

So I uploaded all my photos onto my new, capacious and shiny Drobo (which is ? has? a raid system so that I need no longer worry about running out of space or hard discs dying with all my pics inside them). It’s refusing to start up now. I know it’s running because it’s whirring gently to itself but the computer sees it not neither does it talk to the computer. Inside it, are photos of Z, lifting enormous bridges and steering and balancing on high places. Probably.

I’ve looked up ‘Drobo won’t start’ (and got over my confusion about Drobos not mounting – the context suggests other drobos are doing the same thing as mine, nothing to do with bikes or horses♦) but I don’t understand any of the answers except the bits about turning it on and off. I’ve done lots of that. I’ve phoned Patrick, my computer expert who says I can call him back tonight and maybe he can talk me through it. I’m not sure I want to be talked through. I feel that there might be interference on my line.

I’m going to have another glass of wine now. Then I’m going to investigate the clothes I bought in Headington today (9 charity shops within a 1/4 mile square area) and The Cowley Road (only 5) and eat a samosa (freshly made throughout the day in the Indian shop in the Cowley Road). Then I will ring Patrick. If he really wants to talk through me, I’m sure the lubrication and distraction will make it go more smoothly. It’ll feel like it anyway.

If this is all successful, I’ll post photos, otherwise I’ll just post. I’m not sure if I can wake this blog up after so long sleeping but more surprising things have been known?

Update – Patrick told me to unplug the drobo. Not very demanding so I’ve done that. Wait till tomorrow and see if it feels more chatty. I’m doing that.

Aha. I mean Update. It worked and here are photos.

Z, lifting an enormous bridge (you have to peer into the space between the bridge bits to see Z. and actually, she’s lowering it after we’ve been through but she did lift it as well)

An unusual sight – almost unheard of – Barney reading from an iPad. Z appears to be reading a book.

Illuminated ducklings

Going through The Narrows on the final approach to Llangollen. (I’m the runner – going ahead to check that no boats are coming the other way)

A bridge somewhere on the Llangollen

Z is ready for anything – rainhood, sun hat and big smile.

A bridge, somewhere on the Llangollen

There may be more to come. Sadly, my photos of Z steering the boat across the Pontycysyllte Aqueduct (and of the boat not being steered by anyone – this is perfectly safe really since aqueduct is only a few inches wider than the boat so the boat can’t go anywhere but straight on but when you’re 128 feet up above the valley, it looks a bit scary) didn’t come out but there were other moments. Lovely Z, thank you for coming with us 🙂

About

Time for a change?

I take a lot of photos. I eat and drink a little (just a little) too much, read fast, play a violin slowly, love my kids, husband, cat, home, the English landscape, most other landscapes, music, the changing seasons, sparkle and texture and colour, my friends, my computer, my car ~ my life really. What more do you need?

I don’t sleep enough and I’m always late.
Well you can’t have everything.

Oh, and WP tells me you may occasionally see some advertisements here. I apologise if you do – they charge to have them blocked so I’m letting them be.